Anton Savage on Today FM

The Miami Showband Massacre 40 years on – Truth, Justice and U2

Stephen Travers and Des McAlea joined Anton for a moving interview

Steven Travers and Des McAlea – survivors of the Miami Showband Massacre in July 1975 – joined Anton for a moving interview, recalling that fateful journey home from a gig, and how Bono and U2 could help their fight for justice – 40 years on.

Des and Stephen were upset recently to hear Bono say the shocking Paris attackers had made a “the first direct attack on music” when terrorists targeted the Eagles of Death Metal gig at The Bataclan. The duo tweeted to say Bono had failed to remember the Miami Showband attack, in which killed three members of the popular group were killed by as many as ten ‘soldiers’. The bands name was included on a screen film shown at recent U2 concerts during the moving ‘Raised by Wolves’ song, and whilst the band are grateful for that, they want U2 (and Bono in particular) to help them in their 40 year fight for truth and justice.

They want Bono to use his influence to get the files released on both the Miami Massacre as well as Dublin Monaghan bombings (it is alleged carried out by one of the same bombers). They said they would be happy to meet Bono and band, maybe even join him and U2 on stage as one the original victims of a terror attack against music 40 years ago.

As a gesture of solidarity, they want the audience at U2’s Dublin gigs on Friday and Saturday to raise three fingers during the gig to remember their fallen band members Fran O’Toole, Tony Geraghty and Brian McCoy.

They remembered happy times as one of the biggest bands in Ireland in the late 1960’s and early 70’s, a happy life ‘blind to the border’ playing gigs north and south. And movingly, they spoke about the attack which claimed the lives of their three band members. They vividly recalled the attacks. “The whole world went red” said Stephen, who says 40 years on he can “still feel the grass on the side of my face” from where he lay as his band mates were shot to death in a field beside him. Des McAlea says he can never forget Fran O’Toole (whom Phil Lynott called “the Greatest Soul Singer Ireland ever produced“), guitarist Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian McCoy.

The men bravely spoke of the investigations that followed the attack, collusion, enquiries, forgiveness, of carrying the burden, visiting one of the killers, memorials, and as well as their hopes to have all the files on the case released, their hopes to truly make the world a better place.